Rain keeps some tourists from spending much time in Hilo, but it
usually comes in predictably avoidable afternoon showers that
nourish the area's botanical treasures. Banyan trees hover over
streets, false-front buildings transport you to old
Hawaii. Home to
the second-largest population (40,000) in the Hawaiian Islands,
Hilo is a thriving community based around agriculture and fishing,
education, and government activity. Nearby, you can tour beautiful
orchid farms on your way to
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Kilauea
Lodge (
www.kilauealodge.com) is a great
base for exploration, and dinner here should not be missed.
KAUAI: The Garden Isle
Who should go: If you're looking for tropical rain forests,
smooth curves of land stretching into a deep-blue sea, abundant
flowers and fruit, and a pace that steps way back into early last
century, then this is your paradise.
Minimum stay: Four days.
Pack: Hiking shoes, rain jacket, mosquito spray, and plenty
of film (that goes for all the islands).
What you should know: Kauai is the oldest island in the
chain (about six million years old), and she's aged gracefully.
Just 100 miles from the bustle of Oahu (and about the same size),
you'll immediately settle into this island's slower pace. Make your
first stop the Kauai Museum to enrich your geologic and social
understanding of Kauai's history.
On the north shore, discover your very own hidden beach near the
Kilauea Lighthouse. Drive a bit farther and you'll come to tiny
Hanalei and its beautiful white-sand bay, with palm trees swaying
and the whole picture-perfect island scene. On past that begins the
Kalaulau Trail, a narrow footpath along the Na Pali Coast, cut off
from the modern world by stunning 4,000-foot sea cliffs. Prefer to
go by boat? Several outfitters offer one- or two-way transport via
inflatable boats, saving you the 10-plus mile hike. Exquisite
camping along a picturesque crescent-shaped bay is your reward at
the end of the trail.